Hydrocarbon drilling systems utilize drilling fluid or mud for drilling a wellbore in a subterranean earthen formation. In some offshore drilling applications, a blowout preventer (BOP) is coupled to a subsea wellhead at or near the sea floor to seal, control, and monitor the drilled wellbore, thereby acting to prevent the uncontrolled release of hydrocarbons from the wellbore and into the subsea environment. In these applications, the subsea BOP may be disposed at a great distance from a drilling rig disposed at the waterline, and may comprise electrical and hydraulic lines, control pods, hydraulic accumulators, and other components for powering and actuating the BOP. In the event of a “blowout” or uncontrolled release of fluid from the wellbore, the BOP and its associated components may be physically compromised or damaged, jeopardizing the actuation of the BOP into a closed position to seal the wellbore from the subsea environment and cease the uncontrolled release of fluid therefrom. In such an event, given the remote location of the BOP relative to the drilling rig, it may be difficult to determine the position of actuatable components of the BOP. In other words, it may be difficult to determine whether particular sealing components of the BOP have been actuated into the closed position when the components powering and controlling the actuation of the BOP have been possibly compromised.